Five great moments from the Savannah Bananas' Saturday night game in Albuquerque

Apr. 21—Banana-mania was running wild Saturday night as the Savanah Bananas' Banana Ball World Tour made a stop in Albuquerque for the first of two weekend games at Rio Grande Credit Union Field at Isotopes Park. The barnstorming Bananas and their opponents, the Party Animals, put on a show for the sold-out crowd.

Here are five ways this was unlike any other baseball game I've ever seen.

1. The Party Animals live up to their name

While the Bananas may have top billing, their opponents stole the show with their antics on Saturday night. From dancing between innings, to lifting weights in the outfield during play and the lack of sleeves on their jerseys, these party animals definitely earned the "party" portion of their names.

2. Baby bananas

While the Isotopes may have an age limit on how old you have to be in order to work on the ground crew, the Bananas seemingly don't have any such rule. Case in point, a group of 3-year-olds armed with bubble makers in the shape of lawnmowers were on the infield grass during the middle of the first inning. These tiny maintenance workers were racing, with their lawnmowers, to see who could cross home plate first. The only issue was that most of the competitors were heading anywhere but home. Finally, with the help of a Party Animals pitcher, one little girl was able to cross the finish line and claim the title of the first under-3 Albuquerque groundskeeper to win a race at Isotopes Park.

3. Making the routine look extraordinary

If you've ever watched or seen a baseball game, then there's no doubt you've heard the phase, "making the routine play." Y'know, the play where the shortstop reels in a ground ball and tosses it to an infielder or an outfielder settling in under a fly ball. But have you ever seen a shortstop throw the ball behind his back to the first baseman for an out? Or watched an outfielder perform a backflip while catching a fly ball? I hadn't either until Saturday night. Both the Bananas and Party Animals made the routine play fun to watch by adding flair to it. It made everyone pay close attention each and every time the ball was put into play.

4. Calling more than just balls and strikes

You could make a case the home plate umpire is the most despised person in the ballpark. Regardless of what calls he makes, someone, somewhere will always say he got it wrong. But on Saturday night, the home plate umpire reveled in the attention. Taking seemingly every opportunity to break out into a dance while batters were walking to the plate or playing to the crowd with his dramatic strike and out calls, this home plate umpire was beloved by all in the ballpark.

5. The people's game

While most of the fun took place on the field, the crowd was a constant participant in the game. Whether it was a singing competition between the those seated on the first baseline versus the third baseline, or members of the Bananas running into the stands to hand out roses and take selfies, the crowd was part of the action all night long.